Broadcasting and intercommunication system



3 Shegts-Sheet 1 L. Q. HODSON ETAL BROADCASTING AND INTERCOMMUNICATION SYSTEM Jan. 27, 1953 Filed March 2, 1948 n 33mm 38m $53 f mam mwm m 3Q U UOO R w a o m A 0K .1 u ca M05" A H u M Q 0 LG l m 0 m TM I 0 EU w R /l Mom V! E A w z B S E L a 0 E P R F M E. A E U. m d. H 0/.0 W 0 A A MM. 0 I s E s s e m E M T H Q m E E H u E L 0 s E 32v L I I u w w m 4 lm A a w m R R R W B M B 5 m u: E 0 m A M. E U PA W 1 w M W W 8 a m. w m s 0 w 4 K s a m a r r H. s E m E u n w m u s H M N R 0 6 6 A ED T A W a E E m. p m y E s E u M .32 QSEQEG E: flaw. 38m i @E qmgmmmm Jan. 27, 1953 L. o. HODSON arm;

BROADCASTING AND INTERCOMMUNICATION SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 2, 1948 INVEN TORS. Hausa/v Jam 1953 L. o. HODSON ETAL BROADCASTING AND INTERCOMMUNICATION SYSTEM Filed March 2, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 "g M i m s N v, mmws M s w m 0 a T W HR T 50w A .50 mm 6 V! 8 203m U22. mm

Patented Jan. 27, 1953 PATENT OF F'I CE" BROADCASTING AND INTERCOMMILTNIOAa- TION SYSTEM r Layne 0. Hudson, Layton, and Garold llods'on and.

Clark Ross,-gden,- Utah, assignors, lay-direct and mesnc assignments, of one third-"to said Layne 0. Hodson-and said Garold Hodson and one-thirdv to. Blaine W. Wilson: and one-thirdto :Philip A. Mallinckrodgwboth oi Salt Lake;..

City, Utah.

Application March '2,'"1948,' Serial' No. 12,654

51 Claims.

invention relates to sound-transmitting andfreproducing systems; and particularly tosuch systems I as adapted for-marketing and policw ing purposes in storea- 1 Axfeature of the present system'resides inthe strategic placement, throughout a merchandis ing area ofa--store-'for instance the commongrocery super-market -oi display stands, racks, tables, shelving or the-like having combined therewith respective speakers, each preferably directed toward main aisles and maintained at suchlow sound intensity as to comprehend onlya =localized .zone adjacent the speaker. Suchlocalized zones may be separated by minor areas.

of"relative inaudibility, may be substantially contiguous, or may overlap Inany event they add up to a low-intensity sound network throughout the merchandising orsales area of the store; the pattern-of which is determined by the lay out otthe particular store-concerned:

The-use ofa plurality on low sound intensityr' speakers distributed throughout the smarketingv area-:of' the store-and directed toward the-main; aisles is very zadvantageouazin that satisfactory coverage is: obtained .without .any unpleasant-2 loudness or..booming.': Furthermore; as so spot-.- ted; thespeakers may. be dissociatedfrom; yet". remain generally correlated with, the merchan-p diseto whichzmuchbi the. broadcast-sound will;: directly. refer.

Theabove ieature of. the. invention is applicable.

to; any type .of, sound system where advertising :or comment on the goods displayed for sale is broad-- cast: However, it is: especially advantageous: in. combination with. another, feature-of the inven tion; namely, the coupling of a broadcast system ionsound with. a customer-clerkintercommunis, cation system, ,whereby a customer who hears-the advertisement .oiagiven product can. iminediately -call back and ask just where thatproduct is located within the store.

The preferred arrangement is the use 'or a: single speaker at each location to serve both.- broadcastand inter-communicating systems,- withuthe-customer being given the opportunity;

ofrpushing a button or the like at the particularv speaker to suitably indicate to a central opera-.-. tor, that intercommunication. is :desired.

A very advantageous .broadcastingfsystem .-or-: use in this conneciton; is. one which is individual.

tor-the particular: storm. the broadcastsound-sOa.

emanating from'recordings suitabIy-reproduced-" at 'aninstrument serving:al1 thespeakers, in-.-. commonr- Contrclsfor both broadcasting and. intercommunication are desirably located at a mastercontrol panel conveniently accessible -to an employee of the store-,- whoresponds to-any': questions put by a'customer through the=intercommunication system andwho'may alsowusey such system to-hail would-be shopliiters'at various points throughoutthe -=goods-display-- area-i- By the-controls provided-,-- the store employeew switches the particular speaker concerned #iromn broadcast to- .intercommunication without 1 in terrupting or-' disturbing broadcast from- 1 the otherspeakers.

Principah objects-01 the :invention:-are,-.= there-s fore:

To provide: efiective :point-oi-sale advertising; and entertainment throughout amerchandising area."-

To provide such advertising and entertainment: ata Iowa-intensitysound level without: sacrifice ingxefiective'coverage onthearean To provide. for a customer: participation in the: operation oi the. system; to :the. extenixoii afford-L ing=direci customer: inquiry-and: personal StQIQQ reply byway of :thesystennz.

To provide forbroadcast over the system 'i'i'nm's; a recorded-sound, reproducer. .whose .operatiomisi; entirely automatia-;.,

To provideior spot announcements; automate-- ically overs the .system at; predetermined :.time;;--. intervals...

To .provide ra; .combination.-;.broadeast and-1m.- tercommunication system having ;a\.p1ura1ity.-of;;

speaker outletsavhereinzany oneaor, more 55138937; p

broadcast from the 1 remaining. speakersii To provide a recordedssound reproducing :sys-;-

1 tem wherein; one .sound-reproducerbreaks intom the. delivery from [another at predetermined. time. 1: intervals, theiieliveryiromthe said other sounds reproducerbeing; suppressed 5 duringdelivery from the said one.

To provide 59.11, :efiective. policing :SYStem 2 for.- 9. atom-:- operable rroma central point of observae- To provide-ran; eflectiye tool .for'marketins search;

other. objects 'and, .ieatures. oi: the -invention will appear from the following detailed description of a preferred form of the system, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents the floor plan of a typical installation of the system, the layout of the several speakers with respect to the aisles and display equipment being indicated schematically;

Fig. 2, a perspective view, from the front, of one of the merchandise-display and speaker combinations;

Fig. 3, a front elevation of the record-player unit and associated master control unit bearing the master control panel, dual record players with record supply being illustrated schematically, the front wall of the cabinet being removed for the purpose;

Fig. i, a schematic showing of the broadcast= ing and intercommunicating equipment of the system, as wired for use; and

Fig. 5, a detail of the pre-amplifier circuits.

Referring now to the drawings: the floor plan illustrated in Fig. 1 is of a grocery super-market, to which type of store the broadcast system of the invention is particularly suited. The floor plan and layout of display equipment and merchandise will of course vary from store to store, but that illustrated may be regarded as typical.

As shown, the various merchandise display stands [0, with which the several speaker units H of the system are associated, are surrounded by access aisles. Each of the speaker units H preferably faces a main aisle marked aisle, and is adapted to comprehend in sound coverage a localized zone mushrooming out from the speaker unit into adjacent aisle areas. It has been found that localized zones of approximately 12 feet radius each, are ordinarily very satisfactory for the establishment of a network of sound of such low intensity level as to make for enjoyable listening as well as efiective coverage. In any installation, size of the individual zones and the actual volume to which the broadcast sound is amplified is determined in accordance with the acoustical factors peculiar to that store, and

maybe varied from time to time to accommodate the sound to changing conditions, such as extra noisy crowds, unusual outside noise, etc. In all instances, however, the sound intensity will be at a considerably lower level than is customary for public address systems designed to cover a similar area, and the sound will tend to be directed in predetermined channels by the placement of the speaker units relative to the aisles. Thus, the merchandising or sales area of the store will be substantially covered by a network of low intensity sound of pleasing effect.

Excellent results are achieved when the speaker units are placed on top of and at the end of long display stand, such as the display stands of Fig. i, and when the speaker outlets, see Ila, Fig. 2, face the aisles at upwardly directed angle, preferably an approximate median slope between horizontal and vertical, as illustrated. A greater slope toward the horizontal than toward the vertical has been found desirable for a merchandising area'such as a super-market where there is an open expanse above the display equipment throughout the area.

As illustrated, the speaker units H serve both a broadcast circuit and an intercommunication circuit, the latter having a master speaker outlet !2, Fig. 3, associated with a master control panel I3. Each speaker unit I l embodies a pushbutton II or the like which enables a customer to close a signaling circuit effective to operate a corresponding signal on the panel l3, here one of a series of electric lights 15. A correlated series of individual switches l8 enables a store clerk to cut a particular speaker ll out of the broadcast circuit and to introduce it into the intercommunication circuit, and vice-versa, and a talk-listen switch ll enables the clerk to either listen or talk over the intercommunication circuit through master speaker outlet !2 and the particular speaker il. Another switch l8 enables the clerk to clear the panel of signal light after any session of intercommunication with a customer.

The broadcast source in the illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises recordedsound reproducing means, specifically a pair of disc type record-players I9 and 20, Fig. 4, advantageously housed in a cabinet 2 I, Fig. 3, which carries a control unit embodying the master speaker outlet l2 and the master control panel l3.

As illustrated in the schematic wiring diagram of Fig. 4, the dual record players l9 and 20 are operatively linked together in conventional manner so that one takes over when the other has completed the playing of a record and, vice-versa, both being of automatic record-changing type having provision for holding in readiness a supply of records to be played, either musical, or recordings of advertising, or a combination of both.

These dual record players feed into a broadcast amplifier (labeled such) by way of a pre-amplifier 2! and, as here illustrated, a double throw switch 22 of timed switch means, described fully hereinafter. The broadcast amplifier feeds into the several speakers H by way of the respective manually-operable switches l6, which are normally maintained in broadcast circuit closing position by means of suitable springs 23. Individual timing mechanism, for instance the dashpots 24, illustrated schematically, are advantageously associated with the respective switches I6 to automatically return them to broadcast circuit-closing position following a predetermined time interval (desirably 40 seconds) after any selective throwing thereof to intercommunication circuit-closing position. It will be noted that the throwing of any one or more of the switches IE to intercommunication circuit-closing position doesnt affect the others, and that, consequently, those speaker circuits not afiected will continue to carry the broadcast to their respective speakers I 1 during intercommunicatoin through the others.

The respective speakers II are adapted to be connected in circuit with an intercommunication amplifier (labeled such) when the corresponding switches l6 are thrown to intercommunication circuit-closing position. Master speaker outlet I2 is also connected in circuit with said intercommunication amplifier, so that, when the switches 16 are properly thrown, a customer may speak with a clerk at the master control panel and the clerk may speak with the customer. Control of this intercommunication between customer and clerk is in the hands of the clerk who manipulates the talk-listen switch I! at the master control panel, such switch being suitably interposed in the intercommunication circuit in well known manner.

The attention of the clerk is secured by means of a signaling arrangement operable by the customer through the push-button H at each speaker unit I I. As illustrated, the several pushbuttons I 4 control respective signaling-circuits, each: of-which. embodies a relay 25 and-one of the signal lights 15. 1 The signal lightfor-aparticular speaker iscorrelated'in position-on1the master controlpanel l3 with-the position of the; switch I6 :which controls that speaker. The push-button switch I 8 isa normally closed, break switch connected in common withathe .several signal-circuits, as shown, sothat, when pushed: by the clerk-at the master control panel follow- 10 ing. his=conversing withacustomer; any enezgized delay. is de energizedandany signal; light. 15 extinguished.

If. desired, additional audibleasignaling means may be provided. For instanceren. electric 35 buzzer 26 may be connectedin the signaling hir cuit, as illustrated.

The recorded-sound reproducing arrangement; ispreferably automatic in operation, a time clock; switch 21 being interposed in..the:.brnadcasting 0 circuit,. as..illustrated, to. eifect. starting and s flpping of. the broadcast source at such times asmay be desired, and a second time clock switch. 28 .being interposed inthe system, as shown, to control the power source and amplifiers so that the intercommunicationcircuitmay be maintained operative independently of the broadcast circuit usually throughout the entire working day. The time clocks 21 and 28 .are advantageously the 35 ampere, single. pole instruments manufactured bythe General Electric Company. A pilot light 29 indicates whether the system is turned on or off.

A volume control V C is disposed on'the master control panel l3, Fig. 3, the same beingarranged .35 to-control the volume output from the intercommunication amplifier in well known manner. A volume meter M provides visual indication of the broadcast volume level. The volume control VB. Fig. 4, is however preferably disposed within the cabinet 2| so that it is available only to specially authorized persons. Supplying the speakers with power of approximately one watt will ordinarily produce the desired low-intensity. sound level, though as stated hereinbefore, the 45 sound level is determined by the circumstances of the particular installations.

The above provides a completely operable sys tem, exclusive of power supply connections, and may be used as such. It is preferred, however, to incorporate therewith an additional recordedsound reproducer for cutting into the broadcast program at predetermined times with so-called spot announcements, each ordinarily of only seconds duration.

To this end a third record-player 30 is..here provided. It is arranged to feed into the broadcast amplifier through its own pro-amplifier. 3| and switch 22 of the timed switch means. It embodies timed stop means including a solenoid brake 32 arranged to be released when the turntable -motor 33 is energized. Both brake and motor are connected in circuit with a control switch 34, which is arranged to be operated by component parts of said timed switch means. The timed stop means includes, also, a-timer in the form of a revolution counter 35 and associated switch 36 which here is arranged to close a circuit controlling the operation of the timed switch'means, every five revolutions of the tumtable 31.

A pin38 actuates the revolution counter in well known manner.

The timed switch means preferably employed is m major part commercially ,11 ,1 1.; as 3 1 75.? so as to render the actions of the latter inn 1 Type- QMA manufactured by. Advance Electric and Relay 00., Los Angeles, California. and includes, besides switch 22, arelay -39 whose movablemember is-anarm carrying a panel 4| operative upon a ratchet-wheel 42. The ratchet wheel 42 is rigidly aflixedto a shaft 43 carryingtwo triangular cams 44 and 45. The can 44 isoperative upon switch 22, while thecam 45 isoperative upon control switch 34. The several-elements are so arrangedthatywhen switch 36 is closed by the long arm.35a of revolution counter 35 at the end of every five-revolutions of turm-table IL'the coil of..relay 39 is enersized to actuate. the ratchet mechanism and cam .45to open control switch and thus de-energize the turn-table motor 33 and the solenoid brake 32, thereby effectively and promptly stopping tum-table 31. Further, the arrangement is such that the corresponding action of cam 44 causes Switch 22 to throw the'dual record-players l9 and 20 back into the broadcast circuit and to remove record-player 30 therefrom.

It should be'understood, of course, that the switch 22 of the timed switch means normally connects the dual record-players I9 and 20, or any other main broadcast source wherever located, intothe-broadcast circuit. The timed switch means embodies timing mechanism 460i suitable type, for example another conventional time clock arranged to close the circuit and start the spot announcement record-player 30' at regular intervals, depending upon-the setting, for instance every 45 seconds or every few minutes, as desired, so that the spot announcement record-player 30- will automatically replace the main broadcast source atsuch intervals.

With the pre-amplifiers 2| and 3| constructed as illustrated in Fig. *5, broadcast from the main broadcast source will gradually fade as the spot announcement record-player -30' is introduced and will gradually buildup in volume as the latter is cutout. Switch 22 .is disposed in the platesupply circuit oftheamplification tubes 41 and 48 of the respective pre-amplifiers rather than in the-signalcircuit- Supply is throughthe respective high-resistances 49 audio connected to the respective-high capacity condensersfil and 52. The former may have avalue of 1 megohm each, for example, and-the latter acapacity of 16 microfarads each. The storage-of electricity by the condenser'produces-a delaying action resultingin fading output and a gradual. buildingup to full volume whenthe powerv is respectively diverted from and directed to the pre-amplifier circuits concerned.

While the spot announcement record-player 30 may be introduced into the broadcast circuit and its operation started by action of the timing mechanism 46, the same is achieved-during the switch-over from one -of the dual record-players I! or 20 to the other. Such switch-over is controlled by the mechanically interconnected switches 53 and 54, which are associated, respectively, with the turn-table motors 55 and 56 of respective record-players l9 and 20 in conventional fashion, as illustrated. Pursuant to the invention, switches 5'1 and 58 of the spot announcement circuitrare mechanically interconnected withthe respective switches 53 and 54 to cut-in the record player-30 when switch-over commences betweenznainrecord-players I9 and 20. Another SWitChTSQ, arranged to be actuated with switch 22 by means of the cam 44,-is .disposed in parallelcircuit withthe switches 51 and fective if the spot announcement record-player I8 is playing when switch-over occurs between the main record-players I9 and 20.

The pre-amplifier 2| may comprise an integrated part of the broadcast amplifier if the spot announcement record-player 30 is not provided in the system, in which case switch 22 and the other component parts of the timed switch means will be eliminated. Also, the provision for delayed action as shown in Fig. will be eliminated, and the amplifying arrangement will be conventional.

Connection with an outside source of power is provided for at 60, the power being 117 volt A. C. for the system illustrated. A conventional power supply unit is interposed in the system for feeding the amplifiers, as shown, and a transformer ii feeds relay 39. Power for the signalling circuit is fed through transformer 62.

While the specific system illustrated represents a preferred embodiment of the invention, it must be realized that various other arrangements within the skill of the art may be resorted to without departing from the inventive concepts. For example, in certain instances the dual record players 19 and 20 may be replaced by other broadcast sources, uch as by an outlet from a telephone network for music and other features, or by an ordinary radio tuned to an appropriate station. Also, the spot-announcement record player 30 may very advantageously be replaced by a wire or tape recorder or the like, appropriate changes within the skill of the art being made in the timed stop means and timed switch means to accommodate the substitution. Furthermore, the intercommunication circuit and outlets may be independent of the broadcast circuit and speaker outlets, all without departing from the more generic aspects of the inventive combination. Again, other merchandising establishments, such, for example, as department stores and the larger drug stores, may utilize the system within portions of or throughout their entire sales area.

Another aspect of the present system which is one of no little importance is its use in connection with market research. Because of the combination of the advertising broadcast arrange ment with the arrangement for intercommunication between customer and clerk in a merchandising establishment such as a supermarket, department store or the like, it is possible to record the number of inquiries received over the intercommunication circuit following any advertising broadcast or announcement, and from this, tabulate a reasonably exact estimate of customer reaction.

This may be accomplished manually by a clerk who make a suitable record of the inquiries, or by a recording device of conventional construction arranged to respond to the pushing of a button ll by the customer at the speaker unit and to mark or punch a record tape having time markings thereon or for which suitable provision is made for the marking thereon of the times of the various recordations.

Accordingly, although the invention is here illustrated and described with respect to a particular preferred embodiment thereof it should be understood that variou changes may be made therein and various other embodiments may be constructed on the basis of the teachings hereof by those skilled in the art without departing from the inventive concepts defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A sound transmitting and reproducer system, comprising a plurality of speaker units; a single broadcast source; a broadcast circuit including an amplifier, said broadcast circuit connecting said single broadcast source in common with the speaker units; a master speaker unit, an inter-communication circuit including an amplifier, said intercommumcation circuit connecting said master speaker unit in common with said plurality of speaker units; individual switches located in proximity to the respective speaker units and connected in common with both the broadcast circuit and the intercommunication circuit for selectivity establishing connection of said speaker units with either the broadcast circuit or the intercommunication circuit; means normally maintaining the respective switches in contact position establishing electrical connection of the respective speaker units with the broadcast circuit; a master control panel; intercommunication control means for the master speaker unit, said means including a group of individual switches connected in said intercommunication circuit to control connection of said master speaker unit with the respective speaker units, said intercommunication control means being located at said master control panel; individual signalling means connected in circuit with the respective speaker controls of the intercommunication circuit and disposed at the master control panel in correlated relationship with the individual switches of said group of switches; and time means operably associated with the respective switches of said group of switches for predetermining the time periods of connection of the respective speaker units with the intercommunication circuit.

2. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein a recorded-sound reproducer and timed switching means are connected in the broadcast circuit, said timed switching means controlling the broadcast source and said recorded-sound reproducer; means for stopping operation of said recorded-sound reproducer; and timer means for said operation-stopping means controlled by said recorded-sound reproducer, said timer means controlling said timed switching means.

3. A sound transmitting and reproducing system, comprising a broadcast circuit including a broadcast source; a recorded-sound reproducer having timed start means and timed stop means; timed switch means, including a switch connected in the broadcast circuit and operable between two contacts, one of said contacts being connected with the broadcast source and the other with the recorded-sound reproducer; a solenoid-operated switch-throwing device; an electrical timer for closing and opening the control circuit of the solenoid on said switch-throwing device; and a switch controlling said solenoid, the said timed start means including a connection with said electrical timer, and said timed stop means including a distance counter operable by the running of the sound record of said recorded-sound reproducer and controlling said switch which controls said solenoid.

4. The combination recited in claim 1, wherein the broadcast source comprises recorded-sound reproducing means, and wherein time clock means are connected in the broadcast circuit and in the intercommunication circuit for automatiggljiy starting and stopping operation of the sys- 9 5. The combination recited in claim 4, wherein the time clock means comprise two independent time clocks connected respectively in circuit with the broadcast source and in the intercommunication circuit, whereby said broadcast source is controlled independently of said intercommunication circuit.

LAYNE O. HODSON.

GAROLD HODSON.

CLARK ROSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Kuhn Oct. 29, 1929 Chadwick Jan. 26, 1932 Bergmann Aug. 23, 1932 Frazier Sept. 22, 1932 Dreisbach Mar. 8, 1938 Blaski July 16, 1940 Hayslett et a1 May 13, 1941 West at al May 13, 1941 Campbell Jan. 6, 1942 Stark et al July 28, 1942 Farrell June 27, 1944 Snodgrass Mar. 19, 1946 

